'earthly.'
Since when have you been standing there?
Chairman Wang's earnest gaze never left me.
A gaze that seems to pierce through a person's soul. A gaze so fierce that it makes the old professors of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, known for being strict, look like lambs. Even if I beat around the bush, it's already in the palm of Buddha's hand.
"Grandpa, you already threw away everything you didn't need."
Chairman Wang's foresight is unparalleled. When he liquidated his previously successful affiliates and used his personal wealth to acquire a semiconductor factory, everyone in the political and business world said that Chairman Wang had finally lost his mind. The media even predicted that he would kick an empty can.
But what was the result? In the future, Jeil Group would take half of the global semiconductor market share, so what's the point of talking about it? It's just a pain in the butt.
"Hmm, so this old man threw away everything he didn't need?"
Chairman Wang smiled strangely as if he didn't understand. But I know the hidden blade in that smile. Of course, even if they are his children, he is a person who mercilessly cuts off those who have no substance.
As evidence, the third son, Son Hong-won, who had no business acumen, could not even get a decent position, let alone an affiliate of Jeil Group, and lived his entire life as an unemployed person. Compared to his youngest daughter who inherited the department store business, he was a truly sharp person. I wish my grandfather had followed this example. Anyway.
Chairman Wang looked at him as if he still had some questions. What day is it today that everyone from Son Il-seon to Chairman Wang are still in this mansion?
"Yuha."
At that moment, a savior-like figure appeared beyond the door.
"Oh, Mr. Chairman! Hello."
"Haha. Thank you so much for your performance yesterday, Mr. Park."
"Oh, no. I was honored to be able to perform in such a place."
Park Seon-yeong lowered her head with an overly tense expression. Chairman Wang stood up from his seat with a regretful smile, perhaps because of the music teacher who had appeared at that moment.
"Then, let's talk about the rest of the story slowly next time. Hyun-ah."
What is this?
But Chairman Wang walked away without even listening to my answer. Was it an illusion that his back looked rather excited?
* * *
"What? You don't know how to read sheet music?"
Park Seon-yeong's eyes opened wide.
It seemed that he was quite shocked by Kang Hyun's words that he could not read sheet music. In order to understand the composer's intention and to achieve musical balance and proportion, one must study the sheet music until it is worn out. At the banquet hall, Kang Hyun clearly went beyond understanding the sheet music and created new music. Even Park Sun Young herself could not tell if she was dreaming.
"Then how did you play the violin?"
Park Seon-yeong was so flustered that she even stammered. What should I say? I learned the violin once. But it was such a long time ago that I can no longer remember it.
When I picked up the bow, my heart started pounding and I became one with the violin. And I was repeating the melody in my head. Arthur. It was the perfect time to be treated as a crazy person.
"The song I played was the one I always practiced along to."
Park Seon-yeong opened her mouth wide and looked at Kang Hyun. Son Yu-ha, who was listening from the side, also had an expression of disbelief. Park Seon-yeong tried to understand this situation by looking at Kang Hyun's eyes that did not waver at all. Sometimes there are such prodigies. Aren't there children who can't even read sheet music playing along with the piano keys?
'Still this.'
It was beyond the standard. I tried to understand it somehow, but it just wouldn't go through my head. How could it be possible to play like that without understanding the musical notation? Even after the banquet was over, Kang Hyun's performance was still vividly engraved in Park Seon-yeong's mind.
I wonder if this kid is playing a prank on me?
"Wait a minute. Let me see your hand."
Park Seon-yeong hurriedly spread out Kang Hyeon's palm.
'Wake up, it's clean.'
The pure white skin was as smooth as a baby's skin. Not only the right hand that held the bow, but also the left hand that played the strings. The calluses and bruised fingertips that should have been there were nowhere to be seen. It was as if the palm of someone who had never held a violin before.
'That's ridiculous.'
Beautiful melodies come from your fingertips.
The mature technique and bowing are not something that can be said to be imitated. In particular, vibrato using the wrist tends to be distorted if there is no practice. The left finger that touched the string moved freely between the strings as if dancing. It was to the extent that the pressure and relaxation were not felt.
Gulp.
Park Seon-yeong played the violin her entire life, although it was a short one.
If I were to play the violin as well as Kang Hyun, whom I saw at the banquet hall, would I be able to do it? I could imitate, but I couldn't do it perfectly. Such rich emotions could never have been achieved through imitation. Son Yu-ha is a talented person with both talent and effort, but Kang Hyun surpassed him.
Then, is there anyone who was born talented? I don't know about other subjects, but there was definitely one in music. Mozart, a musical prodigy, started composing at the age of five, and played in front of the Empress at the age of six. Look at those calm eyes. If he was lying, he should have been taught to act right away.
"Are you really saying you've never studied music professionally?"
Has this girl been living a life of deception?
"Yes, it is true."
Park Seon-yeong's eyes shook and her throat shook violently. She felt that she had met a genius who would make his mark on the music world.
* * *
"Father, is Hyun-i gone?"
In response to Son Il-seon's question, Chairman Wang nodded briefly.
"Chairman Yoo contacted me. It seems like something urgent is going on."
After music lessons, I was thinking of having a quick cup of tea. However, as soon as the lesson was over, Chairman Yu called me. It seemed like he had a very busy schedule. Chairman Wang's eyes showed a look of regret. Son Il-seon continued speaking without missing that look.
"Father, Hyun-i is really amazing."
This is not something I say to please Chairman Wang. Son Il-seon still felt his hair stand on end as he recalled the violin performance at the banquet hall.
"Are you jealous?"
"Isn't that obvious? As my father always said, talent is something you don't acquire, but find. He's not an ordinary child."
Chairman Wang nodded. He had once said something like that to his son. But this time it was a little different. When he looked at the boy, he sometimes felt a strange feeling. It was like talking to an experienced adult. What's more, the eyes he occasionally saw were so deep that it was hard to believe they were the eyes of a young child.
"grandfather!"
It wasn't just the rich father and son who were fascinated by the boy.
My granddaughter, who came running as if she was about to fall, added a word without stopping.
"Hyun-i oppa, you are truly a genius. Grandpa."
He continued to tell a series of events that happened in music class, but how much of this should we take as truth? Young children tend to like to exaggerate. Chairman Wang lovingly patted his granddaughter's head. Only then.
"That's right! Why aren't Grandpa and Dad going to work today?"
Son Yu-ha became curious about the presence of her grandfather and father who remained at the mansion even though it was a weekday.
"I heard a guest is coming today. It's someone Yuha has seen before."
Son Il-sun answered the daughter's curiosity on behalf of Chairman Wang. What kind of guest is this that Chairman Wang and Son Il-sun are waiting for together?
at that time.
"Mr. Chairman, our guests have arrived."
Son Il-seon's secretary bowed his head to Chairman Wang.
"Did you take a taxi this time too?"
"No, this time you used our car."
Chairman Wang smiled with satisfaction. Given his personality, this must have been a lot of concessions. I had heard that he was easygoing. But when he first showed up without the usual secretary or security, I was so taken aback.
"Then let's go greet the guests."
The rich man got up together and started walking. Son Yu-ha followed closely behind with a curious expression.
When they arrived at the garden with its splendid landscape trees, a guest was walking with another secretary beyond the stone steps. As Chairman Wang and Son Il-seon walked into the garden to meet him,
"uh?"
Son Yu-ha tilted her head. It was because she had seen him before, just like her father had said. It was definitely the foreign man who had sat with her father at the banquet hall. Why had that man come to see her again? Why were her grandfather and father so happy? It would have been better if it had been Hyun-i's older brother.
"Mr. Kim, is that true?"
I couldn't hide my excitement in the car back to Ichon-dong. Mr. Kim, who had been driving my grandfather's car for a long time, smiled broadly and answered yes. The two of us smiled at the same time, and the reason was simple. My mother had come up to Seoul. And to my grandfather's mansion in Ichon-dong.
My heart was pounding so hard that I couldn't even remember what I learned in music class today.
"Sir, I'll go up first."
As soon as I arrived at the mansion, I ran up the stairs. The housekeeper was waiting for me at the front door, and I don't know how to say it. The corners of her eyes were teary, and it touched my heart.
"mother!"
As I entered the mansion, my mother was sitting on the sofa. She was caressing the house that still had old memories. When she found me, she smiled awkwardly, looking like a shy young girl.
"If you had just told me you were coming up, I would have gone to the terminal."
"No, son. I didn't know you would come up so suddenly. Grandpa himself sent me down to the car early in the morning."
My grandfather was not yet in the mansion, probably because he had not yet finished work. He must have had many thoughts since he met his youngest daughter again after such a long time. But I never thought he would make such a big decision. My grandfather and mother were never reunited in the past. I still vividly remember my mother's sad eyes as she looked at my grandfather's portrait at the funeral.
"Oh, come to your senses. I made some abalone porridge for you, Dad."
My mother quickly took out a thermos from her bag. Just in case it would go bad on a hot summer day, she not only put it in the thermos, but also wrapped it in newspaper.
"Mom, I'll leave it in the kitchen."
I took the thermos from my mother's hand and stood up.
Even though many years have passed, my mother has not forgotten the food that my grandfather liked. She must have had no time because she received the call early in the morning, but she prepared the food like this. I thought about how much my grandfather would like it, and how he enjoyed eating the crab stew that my mother made.
The moment I took off the newspaper that was wrapping the thermos flask.
"uh?"
A crumpled newspaper caught my eye.
"The Eternal Crown Prince Visits Korea?"
A news article big enough to make headlines. And a man's face was even on it. In the photo taken against the backdrop of the royal palace, a foreigner with a dignified beauty was smiling. The only difference was his attire.
"Gardner?"
That was it.